Azimio cries foul over suspension of governor elections in Mombasa, Kakamega

Junet urged Kenyans to vote peacefully, despite the suspension.

In Summary

•In a statement that was read by the Coalition party's secretary general Junet Mohamed, Azimio said the two counties are their key strongholds.

•The coalition said the attention is deliberate to cost their presidential candidate votes even as the country heads to the August 9, polls.

Suna east MP Junet Mohamed gestures during a press conference at parliament building where he accused state machinery of being behind the ODM election wrangles.Photo/FILE
Suna east MP Junet Mohamed gestures during a press conference at parliament building where he accused state machinery of being behind the ODM election wrangles.Photo/FILE

Azimio La Umoja One Kenya Alliance has lamented over the suspension of elections in Mombasa and Kakamega counties saying the move aims at lowering the voter turnout in the areas.

In a statement that was read by the Coalition party's secretary general Junet Mohamed, Azimio said the two counties are their key strongholds.

The coalition said the attention is deliberate to cost their presidential candidate votes even as the country heads to elections on Tuesday.

"Suspension of the gubernatorial election is carefully mis engineered to lower voter turnout in these two counties and affect our imminent election victory. It is a deliberate act of voter suppression," Junet said.

"It is curious to note that all suspensions that were announced by the IEBC Chairperson, Wafula Chebukati today were in Azimio strongholds. Is this a coincidence? We believe it is deliberate."

He went on to urge their supporters to still show up at 6am in large numbers and vote for their preferred presidential candidate.

"We urge Azimio supporters especially in Mombasa and Kakamega to turn out in big numbers and vote for their favourite presidential candidate Raila Amolo Odinga," he said.

The Coalition further served a notice to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), to audit the process of all ballot paper printing.

Junet added that this will help establish the extent o which there was mischief on the part of the electorate body.

"We shall also invite the DCI to determine the extent to which the mistake by the IEBC or the designated printer was a function of negligence," he said.

Announcing the suspension earlier on Monday, IEBC Chairperson Wafula Chebukati said the decision was not politically motivated.

"We don't do political games we do election management and I think the ballot paper printers have accepted their mistake," Chebukati said.

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